They excavate holes in old living pine trees to lay their eggs, and they use the sap from the holes to protect them from snakes and other threats, and in North Carolina, they prefer to nest in longleaf pine forests and on the Lower Coastal Plain. To tell the difference between a male red-cockaded woodpecker from its female counterpart, look for a red patch known as a cockade on the male’s cheek. Red-cockaded woodpeckers are mostly black and white with greyish underparts. You’ll probably find this bird digging to find insects to eat or to build a home in a dead tree, but finding a pair of hairy woodpeckers nesting on a mountaintop is likely, as well. Though nonmigratory woodpeckers are typically found in North Carolina’s woodlands, forests, and rivers, including the Roanoke River, they’re also common visitors to backyard feeders, where they will happily enjoy suet, peanuts, or black oil sunflower seeds. But in taking a closer look, you’ll notice hairy woodpeckers are larger and have longer bills. To further distinguish the two, note the sounds of their calls and drumming our hairy friend is much louder than the downy. Hairy WoodpeckerĪt first glance, it’s hard to identify hairy woodpeckers, as they’re so similar in appearance to its sibling species, the downy. If you listen carefully, you’ll hear the downy woodpecker rapidly drumming on trees with its beak to communicate with others of its kind, mark its territory, or send out a mating call. If you’re looking to lure this bird to your backyard, fill your feeder with black oil sunflower seeds, peanuts, and suet, and if you’re out and about in nature, you can find these woodpeckers in open woodlands, forests, and parks all year long. This bird sports black upperparts and a white checkered pattern on its back, and a male of this species stands out from the female with a red patch on the back of his head. Downy Woodpeckerĭowny woodpeckers are the smallest woodpecker species found in North Carolina. This method of feeding is twice as effective not only do the birds fill up on the sap, but they also get to snack on the other creatures (like insects) that are drawn to the sticky, oozing liquid. So, if you ever find yourself on a peaceful hike on Whiteside Mountain, for instance, keep your eyes peeled you just might spot one.Īs you may have guessed by this bird’s moniker, sapsucker, they drill wells in live trees to feed on the dripping sap. North Carolina is one of the wintering grounds for these sapsuckers, as they breed and nest mostly on top of its mountains. They also have straight bills, long wings, and stiff pointed tails. While only males have red throats, both sexes have red patches on top of their heads. Though yellow-bellied sapsuckers are predominantly black and white, their white underparts have a yellowish tint. In fact, part of what makes these woodpeckers unique is their ability to catch insects as they fly through the air. Though these birds will feast on fruits and nuts, they will also eat insects. These location changes usually depend on the scarcity and abundance of acorns in the area. Their common hangouts include woodlands, swamps, and other wetland areas, but they’re known for their constant habitat shift, so finding them in the same area for two consecutive years is a rarity. Our red-headed friends are permanent North Carolina residents, but they aren’t usually found in the mountains. Red-headed woodpeckers are the easiest woodpeckers to identify with their beautiful and bright red heads and white underparts. Scientific Name: Melanerpes erythrocephalus.Like other woodpeckers, their diet consists mainly of insects, berries, and nuts, and if you’re looking to attract this bird to your backyard, you can easily draw them in with sunflower seeds or suet. They’re considered the most common type of woodpeckers in the state, but their population is smaller in the mountainous region. You’re bound to see these medium-sized woodpeckers pretty much everywhere in North Carolina since they’re permanent residents of the state, but they spend most of their time in the nests they build in holes they dig into dead trees. Both sexes have red napes, while only males have red crests. They have black-and-white striped upperparts. Red-Bellied WoodpeckerĪs you may have guessed, these birds are called red-bellied woodpeckers due to the faded red color they have on their bellies. Here, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about woodpeckers in North Carolina, from how to identify each individual species to where they most like to spend their time. Some of these feathered friends are permanent residents of the state, while others are migratory and only spending a few months out of the year in the Tar Heel State. North Carolina is known for its mild weather, and it’s this climate that attracts more than 400 species of birds, including eight different species of woodpeckers.
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